'Dark Knight Rises' Stars On Punches & Purrfection

By David Weiner 2:12 PM PDT, July 9, 2012

Christian Bale is back as Batman in the highly anticipated final chapter in the Dark Knight trilogy, joined by Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy as new Bat baddies Bane and Catwoman. The stars talk everything from the difference between real and fake onscreen punches, Anne's fave Catwoman -- and how Christian does his Bat voice for his daughter's amusement.

"You know, there's nothing better than when she and her friends want me to do the Batman voice," Christian tells ET. "I can do that and they get a kick out of it. That's a wonderful time."

"I feel like I'm part of a very exclusive club of women who got to don the suit," says Anne of the opportunity to slip on the skintight catsuit of Selina Kyle. "My first experience with Catwoman was Michelle Pfeiffer so I think that's got a special place in my heart. She just rocked it."

In theaters and in IMAX July 20, The Dark Knight Rises finds Christian Bale back as Bruce Wayne/Batman in what is being called "the epic conclusion to the Dark Knight legend," battling the malevolent terrorist Bane (Tom Hardy) and his associate Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) in an effort to protect a city that has branded him an enemy. Once again directed by Christopher Nolan, the film also stars Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Marion Cotillard.